Good day Nurses!
I am a new graduate unhappily working in med/surg. The unit is not that bad, I just know it's not where I want to be and where I plan on continuing my career. Fortunately, I was offered the opportunity to come in for an interview in adult psych this week and I am so excited. Mental health has always been a HUGE passion of mine and I am so happy that I get this opportunity. Growing up with a mental illness was very tough but allowed me to be empathetic to people who are suffering from mental illnesses. The only issue that I am having is that I used to be a psychiatric support technician in an acute adult unit and let's just say...it didn't go so well.
I loved it when I started, I loved the patients and I loved the environment. Unfortunately, I wasn't properly trained and there was a predicament where I was thrown a cup of water on my face and was called some very bad things from one of the patients and I did not know how to react. I ended up quitting eventually because I was in shock and wasn't prepared, I regretted it weeks and months after that.
I want to be prepared this time, I want to thrive in the field of mental health because I know it is where I see myself forever to be honest. I want to be more prepared to handle insults and manipulation from patients and what to do when patients are rude and tend to be aggressive. I want to care for this vulnerable population and be the best possible nurse I can be. Any advice to help a new grad become a successful psych nurse will help! I've read numerous posts from the psych nursing board and love reading everything. I am very excited about this opportunity. Thank you guys!